Dr. Bethany Lyn of Clanton and DeRamus Hearing Centers are teaming up to give back to the community.

One Alabama veteran with an inspirational story will have the opportunity to receive a free pair of eyeglasses and hearing aids.

“We have always had a soft spot in our hearts for our veterans,” DeRamus Director of Operations Sylvia Chaney said. “We just want to be able to give something back to them.”

A panel of local residents will read the submissions and choose the winner, who will receive a free eye examination, eyeglasses ($350 retail value), a free hearing evaluation, hearing aids ($4,000 retail value), free hearing aid batteries for life and free follow-up visits for life.

Chaney said the idea for the contest originated after several patients at DeRamus Hearing Centers were experiencing hearing loss due to the high volume of sounds they experienced while serving in the military.

“We see a fair number of veterans at our offices, and we wanted to do something nice for them,” Chaney said.

When DeRamus Hearing approached Dr. Bethany Lyn in Clanton about participating in the contest, Lyn decided to offer a free pair of eyeglasses and free eye examination to go along with the contest.

The winner will also attend a party in their honor, hosted by DeRamus Hearing and catered by Eastside Grille in Montgomery.

The winner will be able to use the gift of sight and sound to enjoy conversation with a friend or loved one at a free lunch for two, courtesy of Kountry Kitchen.

Anyone is invited to submit a veteran’s inspirational story (veterans are also invited to submit their own stories).

Entries for the submissions should be 500 words or fewer and can be submitted at deramushearing.inc.com/community.asp or by mail to Attn: Veterans Day Giveaway, DeRamus Hearing Centers, 2809 Chestnut St., Montgomery, AL 36107.

All submissions must be received on or before Oct. 25.

The winner will be announced Nov. 8.

Employees of DeRamus Hearing and Eastside Grille are excluded from winning and from inclusion in the panel of judges.

DeRamus Hearing is the oldest independent hearing center in Montgomery, according to a press release. Founded more than 30 years ago by Glenda DeRamus and her late husband, Charles, DeRamus Hearing Centers is a non-franchised, independent hearing health and technology provider with offices in Montgomery, Selma, Opelika and Clanton.

Chaney said one winner from each office location of DeRamus Hearing Centers will be selected.

Dr. Bethany Lyn, originally from Chilton County, opened her practice in Clanton in Sept. 1994.

Dr. Lyn is a member of the Alabama and American Optometric Associations.